Improved self-opening action

ABSTRACT

The Improved Self-opening Action uses the spring energy of the extractors and the firearm&#39;s frame to self-open the gun. This improvement uses fewer parts than other designs and opens and closes with less effort due to its greater mechanical advantage.

BACKGROUND Field of Invention

This invention relates to firearms and improvements to opening andcocking the action with less effort.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Description of the Related Art

Most firearms are manually broken open without assisted opening.Depending on the type of action and spring strength, considerable humaneffort may be needed by the shooter to open and cock their firearm.

A refinement found on some quality firearms is the self-openingmechanism. This allows the gun to be opened quickly and easily, oftenone-handed. Gunmakers Purdey and Holland & Holland produce the two maintypes of self-opening mechanisms. The Holland & Holland, the mostcommon, uses a separate compressor fitted underneath the barrels to openthe action and is easier to manufacture. The Purdey self-opener is anintegral part of the action. Two levers in the bar of the action arepowered by the action's mainspring. While the Purdey system opens thegun with less effort it takes more effort to close. British gunmakerBoss' standard action provides a slight unintended assist from theejectors when they push against the breech face upon opening the gun.

This invention improves on prior designs by using the spring force ofthe extractors and the firearm's frame to channel this force in atime-controlled fashion to assist the self-opening and cocking of thegun. Because of the leverage advantage, the shooter does not sense anyadditional effort to close the gun.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This improved design uses the spring force of the extractors and thefirearm's frame to channel this energy in a time-controlled fashion toassist in self-opening and cocking the gun. The existing spring force ofthe extractors is channeled to the pivot point of the frame and actslike a fulcrum with the barrels providing the leverage advantage toeasily open, cock and close the gun.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view with a transparent Block to illustrate all of theworking parts of the Improved Self-Opening Action.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the Improved Self-Opening Actionhighlighting key features of this invention.

FIG. 3 details the front view of the extractor and crescent along withback views of these parts.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

1 Frame—front portion

1A Frame pivot point

1B Frame pocket for crescent

2 Crescent

2A Crescent frame pocket engagement boss

2B Crescent containment pocket

2C Crescent pivot boss

2D Crescent containment boss

3 Extractor

3A Extractor spring

3B Extractor guide pin

3C Extractor containment pocket

3D Extractor pivot boss

3E Extractor containment boss

3F Extractor face

4 Mono-block or Chopper block [“Block”]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This improved design uses the spring force of the extractors and thefirearm's frame to channel this energy in a time-controlled fashion toassist in self-opening and cocking the gun. The existing spring force ofthe extractors is channeled to the pivot point of the frame that actslike a fulcrum with the barrels providing the leverage advantage toeasily open, cock and close the gun.

FIG. 1's view with a transparent Block illustrates all of the workingparts of the Improved Self-Opening Action. The critical portion of theframe 1, in relation to this invention, is shown. The crescent 2 ispositioned in the frame by placing the crescent's frame pocketengagement boss in the frame's pocket for the crescent 1B. The crescent2 is interlocked to the extractor 3 and is not removable when the gun isfully assembled. The extractor spring 3A exerts spring pressure on theextractor guide pin 3B that connects to the extractor face 3F. Since thecrescent 2 is both interlocked to the extractor 3 and the frame in theframe's pocket for the crescent 1B, the extraction motion powered by theextractor spring will assist or self-open the gun once the openingprocess is initiated. The Block 4 encloses or contains the actioncomponents.

FIG. 2's detailed view of the Improved Self-Opening Action highlightskey features of this invention. The crescent is removed from thisillustration to show the Frame pocket for crescent 1B and the extractor3 interlocking surfaces. The shape of the Frame pocket for crescent 1Bkeeps the crescent firmly seated when the gun is opened and closed. Thelocation of the Frame pocket for crescent 1B is the fulcrum point forthe barrel assembly acting a lever with great mechanical advantage withthe self-opening assistance provided by the extraction motion translatesinto an easy opening and closing gun

FIG. 3 details the front and back views respectively of the extractorand crescent. The crescent pivot boss 2C goes into the Extractorcontainment pocket 3C and the Extractor pivot boss 3D goes into theCrescent containment pocket 2B. The Extractor containment boss 3E andthe Crescent containment boss 2D keep the Crescent 2 and Extractor 3interlocked, but able to pivot. The shapes of the Extractor pivot boss3D and crescent pivot boss 2C provide a cam action that allows thecrescent to rotate and transform the spring action to a self-openingaction.

In summary, by utilizing the extraction process and mechanics thisdesign simplifies the self-opening action and aligns the fulcrum pointwith the pivot point to provide better mechanical advantage in opening,cocking and closing the gun.

1. A self-opening action for a firearm, comprising: a spring force as ameans to remove the shell from the firearm's chamber, a means ofchanneling said spring force to a rotational force around the firearmaction opening pivot point, whereby said firearm action is assisted inopening.